First official sketches: Audi R8 GT Spyder

Four-ringed brand releases the first renderings of its upcoming go-faster R8 roadster

Audi will next year launch a hardcore GT version of its R8 Spyder, and the first tangible proof comes in the form of these teaser sketches.

According to UK’s Autocar magazine, the R8 GT Spyder will be previewed at the Le Mans 24-hour enduro in June, ahead of its official public debut at September’s Frankfurt motor show.

The Le Mans launch is hardly coincidental, reports Autocar, as some of the technical innovations pioneered by Audi’s R8 LMS racer are said to feature in the road car.

The roadster will derive propulsion from the same 412kW/540Nm 5.2-litre V10 engine as its coupe sibling, but the ragtop’s less slippery shape means its v-max will be 310km/h — 10km/h less than the coupe.

The V10 will be hooked up to a strengthened version of Audi’s six-speed R-tronic sequential manual gearbox, with drive channelled to front and rear axles in a 15:85 split.

Apart from its uprated drivetrain, the R8 GT Spyder also loses just under 100kg of flab, thanks to measures such as a carbonfibre liftback, fixed rear wing, modified brake calipers, minimised engine-bay sound deadening and a lighter windscreen made from thinner glass.

Visual clues to the R8 GT Spyder’s identity come in the form of bespoke alloys, a front splitter, carbonfibre winglets on the outer extremities of the front bumper and a chunky rear diffuser.

Meanwhile, the cabin gains a racy pair of one-piece seats with slots for a four-point harness, and the door trims, seatbacks and transmission tunnel feature highlights that match the car’s exterior colour.

It is expected that Audi will limit production of the R8 GT Sypder to similar numbers as the coupe (of which just 333 examples were built).